TORONTO -- Some quick notes from the Ducks' practice on Wednesday's at MasterCard Centre just outside the city in suburban Etobicoke ...

-- The Ducks have worked their way to the middle of the pack in terms of NHL teams and their success on the penalty kill but it's been particularly effective lately and a key factor in their recent surge.

During their current stretch of eight wins in 10 games, the Ducks have killed off 35 of 37 situations when they've been on a disadvantage and a meaningless power-play by St. Louis winger Brad Boyes is the only one they've allowed in the last nine contests.

"Special teams are always a factor," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "Positively and negatively. And that's a huge, huge undertaking if you can get your penalty killing to give you a chance in games. Where maybe the territorial advantage hasn't been in your favor and what not.

"You're taking penalties because you're playing in the defensive zone too much and when the penatly killers go out and nullify the opposition's power play, it gives you a lift. Gives you a boost."

LOS ANGELES – Still beaming over having two top-10 rated players fall into his lap in the first round, Ducks general manager Bob Murray was already satisfied with how his club fared in the NHL entry draft regardless of how Saturday's other six rounds went.

The only thing that Murray didn't come away with from Staples Center was some immediate help to plug a blue line full of holes.

Murray was unsuccessful in his attempts to pry veteran Keith Ballard out of Florida but he said it wasn't a certainty that he could get a deal done for an experience puck-moving defenseman at the draft.

“I didn't expect that to happen here,” Murray said. “I think free agency is going to dictate what happens with a lot of people in this league.

“I think teams are trying to re-sign their guys. A lot is going to happen between now and July 1.And July 1 obviously will dictate what's available and what's not available.”

The Ducks used that pick, 122nd overall, to take Chris Wagner, a right wing who had 34 goals and 49 assists in 44 games with the South Shore Kings of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.

He is headed to Colgate University.

Brown, 25, came to the Ducks from Vancouver in exchange for defenseman Nathan McIver on Feb.4, 2009 and developed into one of the team's fourth-line energy players. He had eight goals and two assists in 103 games as a Duck.

ST. LOUIS -- Following a lengthy mid-morning flight out of San Jose, the Ducks had a quick workout at Scottrade Center where they mainly did some drills to get their legs going but assistant coach Newell Brown did take a few minutes to go over some diagrams with the power-play units.

The teaching moment apparently was needed as the Ducks continue to scuffle with the man advantage without Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu. Had they converted any of their five chances Thursday night against San Jose, there might have been a different result than the 3-1 defeat they absorbed against the Sharks.

Selanne's absence has been felt as he's been out of the lineup because of two major injuries. In the 21 games they've played without the proven power-play performer, the Ducks have gone 9-for-72 (12.5 percent) with the man advantage.

With Selanne in the lineup, the Ducks are 27-for-112 (24.1 percent). Add the fact that Koivu also isn't around to anchor the second unit and it's clear why they're struggling, though they refuse to focus on that.

"It's an easy excuse but we've never mentioned once that we're missing those guys because injuries are a part of the game unfortunately," defenseman Ryan Whitney said. "We had a big four-on-three goal [Tuesday] against Buffalo. But it's got to be better. Even if we're getting chances, we've got to put them in.

There were plenty of bodies skating when the Ducks took the ice at Honda Center, but Joffrey Lupul was not among them.

Coach Randy Carlyle said Lupul was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam for numbness in his leg. Lupul had said he was hopeful for returning to the lineup Wednesday, but Carlyle said the winger didn't feel much better and that the "muscle's not firing."

The injury is believed to be related to a back spasms injury Lupul has dealt with this season ...